The Basler ace 2 a2A5328-15umPRO is a USB 3.0 area scan camera with the 24.4 MP Sony IMX540 global shutter CMOS sensor (5328 x 4608 px, 2.74 um pixels, 1.2" format), based on Sony Pregius S technology. It outputs monochrome images at 15 fps over USB 3.0. C-mount, typical power consumption 3.5 W.
The Basler ace 2 a2A5328-15umPRO is a 24.4 MP area scan camera built around Sony's IMX540 global shutter CMOS sensor from the Pregius family. Its 5328 px horizontal resolution and high overall pixel count place it firmly in the high-resolution segment, suited to applications where fine spatial detail must be resolved across a wide field of view in a single exposure. As an area scan device, it captures the full two-dimensional frame at once, which simplifies integration on static or indexed stations compared with line scan approaches that require coordinated part motion.
The global shutter is the defining characteristic for moving or vibrating subjects: every pixel begins and ends its exposure simultaneously, so the entire frame is captured at one instant. This eliminates the geometric distortion that rolling shutters introduce on objects in motion, which is essential when the camera or the part is moving and dimensional accuracy or edge fidelity matters. The small 2.74 um pixel pitch is what allows the sensor to pack 24.4 MP into a compact 1.2-inch optical format, keeping the imager small enough to use with standard C-mount optics while still delivering dense sampling.
The camera is monochrome, which maximises light sensitivity and effective resolution per pixel because there is no colour filter array to interpolate, making it a strong choice for measurement, defect detection and text-reading tasks where colour is not the discriminating feature. It connects over a USB3 Vision interface using the GenICam standard, giving plug-and-play configuration and a high-bandwidth single-cable link to a host PC, with the interface also supplying power. At 15 fps it streams the full 24.4 MP frame at a rate appropriate for high-resolution capture rather than high-speed throughput, trading frame rate for detail.
Best for
High-accuracy dimensional measurement and metrology where a wide field of view must be resolved to fine detail in a single global-shutter exposure
AI-based surface and defect inspection that benefits from dense, high-resolution monochrome imagery for training and inference
Industrial OCR/OCV for reading printed, marked or engraved text and verifying codes and characters
Inspection of large or wide parts where the high pixel count avoids stitching multiple lower-resolution views
Capture of moving or indexed parts where global shutter prevents motion distortion at moderate frame rates
PC-based vision stations using USB3 Vision and GenICam for straightforward single-cable integration
Selection notes
Lens selection is critical at this resolution: pair the camera with a C-mount lens rated to resolve the small 2.74 um pixel pitch over the 1.2-inch format, otherwise the lens, not the sensor, will limit achievable detail. Confirm the lens image circle covers the full sensor format.
Plan lighting around the monochrome sensor and the chosen exposure time; high pixel counts and short exposures for moving parts demand adequate, stable illumination, and global shutter pairs naturally with strobed or pulsed lighting synchronised to capture.
Verify the USB3 Vision link budget: use a quality certified USB3 cable within its length limit, and ensure the host controller can sustain the bandwidth of full-resolution streaming at 15 fps. Consider active or fibre-optic USB3 cabling for longer runs.
Match the 15 fps frame rate to your cycle time. For genuinely high-throughput or fast-moving lines, evaluate a higher-frame-rate or lower-resolution model, or a faster interface, rather than this high-resolution variant.
If colour discrimination is part of the inspection task, this monochrome model is not appropriate; select a colour variant instead.
Specifications: General
Camera type
Area scan
Specifications: Sensor
Resolution
24.4 MP
Horizontal resolution
5328 px
Mono / color
Monochrome
Sensor manufacturer
Sony Pregius
Sensor model
IMX540
Shutter
Global shutter
Sensor size
1.2"
Pixel size
2.74 µm
Specifications: Performance
FPS
15 fps
Specifications: Interface
Interface
USB3 Vision
Protocols
USB3 Vision, GenICam
Specifications: Optics
Mount
C-mount
Specifications: Electrical
Power
USB
Specifications: Commercial
Rosepetal-ready
Yes
This product groups every purchasable order code that shares the same sensing method, range and output. Cable length, connector type and operation mode (Light-ON/Dark-ON, NO/NC) vary by order code below.
Family variants with highlighted differences
Model
Mono / color
Interface
Availability
24.4 MP Monochrome USB3 Vision Base
Monochrome
USB3 Vision
On request
Applications this camera is commonly selected for. Open one to see the full recommended hardware and approach.
Get a first image quickly with the pylon Viewer, then move into the pylon SDK for your application. These cameras are GenICam/GenTL-compliant, so any compliant vision software can drive them as well.
Download and install the pylon Camera Software Suite for your OS from Basler. This provides the pylon Viewer, the GenTL transport-layer producers and the pylon SDK (C/C++/.NET/Python). On Windows the installer adds the needed drivers; on Linux follow the included setup notes for USB and network permissions.
2. Connect the camera and check the link
Cable the camera to its matching interface: GigE Vision to a GigE port (use a quality cable and, ideally, a dedicated NIC with jumbo frames enabled), USB3 Vision to a USB 3.x port with the supplied cable, or CoaXPress to the frame grabber. Provide power where required (PoE, USB bus power, or PoCXP). Open the pylon Viewer and confirm the camera appears in the device list; for GigE, make sure the camera and NIC are on the same subnet.
3. Grab a first image and set exposure, gain and pixel format
Select the camera in the pylon Viewer and start a continuous grab. Adjust exposure time and gain until the image is well exposed (avoid clipped highlights), set the pixel format (e.g. Mono8 or a Bayer/RGB format), and focus the lens. Use a test pattern if the lens or scene is not ready yet.
4. Configure triggering and acquisition
Decide between free-run and triggered acquisition. For synchronized capture, set the trigger source (software or a hardware line on the I/O connector), trigger mode and any debounce or exposure mode, then verify timing. Note the parameter names you change in the Viewer feature tree, as you will reuse them in code.
5. Move to the SDK or a GenICam-compliant library
Recreate your settings in code with the pylon SDK (C, C++, .NET or Python) to open the device, apply the same features and pull frames into your pipeline; pylon vTools and pylon AI can add processing blocks. Because the cameras are GenICam/GenTL standard, third-party vision libraries work too. Once the image stream is stable, you can route frames to a deep-learning inspection such as Rosepetal for automated defect detection.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. It uses the Sony IMX540 global shutter CMOS sensor, so all pixels are exposed simultaneously. This captures moving subjects without the skew or smear associated with rolling shutters, making it suitable for parts in motion or applications needing precise geometry.
It connects over USB3 Vision and is configured via the GenICam standard. A single USB3 cable carries both data and power. Use a certified USB3 cable within its rated length, and for longer distances consider active or fibre-optic USB3 cabling.
It is monochrome. Without a colour filter array it offers maximum light sensitivity and full per-pixel resolution, which benefits measurement, defect inspection and OCR/OCV where colour is not the discriminating feature.
It provides 24.4 MP with a horizontal resolution of 5328 px, streaming the full frame at 15 fps. This favours capturing fine detail across a wide field of view rather than maximising throughput.
It has a C-mount. Because the sensor uses a small 2.74 um pixel on a 1.2-inch format, choose a high-resolution C-mount lens whose image circle covers the full format and whose resolving power matches the sensor, so optics do not limit image detail.
